As you can see, Newbie is enjoying himself as well.
Yawn! See you tomorrow!
From Bevboy's BlackBerry to Bevboy's Blog!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Post 2181 - Vacation!
As you can see, Newbie is enjoying himself as well.
Yawn! See you tomorrow!
From Bevboy's BlackBerry to Bevboy's Blog!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Post 2180 - Valley Time!
Welcome to my mother's!
I drove up here this evening after getting home from work. As usual, stuffing Newbie into his carrier was great fun. He quieted down in the car, perhaps sensing on some level where he was going.
Mom was surprised to see me. She assumed that I wouldn't be here until Friday. I enjoy being mysterious and aloof and stealthy.
I have plenty to do between now and Monday afternoon when I return to the city. I spelled out much of that last evening. Why bore you with it twice?
The fun all starts tomorrow.
Newbie is mewling. He wants to go downstairs. I don't. Guess who wins?
Yeah. I guess we're going downstairs.
See you tomorrow.
From Bevboy's BlackBerry to Bevboy's Blog!
I drove up here this evening after getting home from work. As usual, stuffing Newbie into his carrier was great fun. He quieted down in the car, perhaps sensing on some level where he was going.
Mom was surprised to see me. She assumed that I wouldn't be here until Friday. I enjoy being mysterious and aloof and stealthy.
I have plenty to do between now and Monday afternoon when I return to the city. I spelled out much of that last evening. Why bore you with it twice?
The fun all starts tomorrow.
Newbie is mewling. He wants to go downstairs. I don't. Guess who wins?
Yeah. I guess we're going downstairs.
See you tomorrow.
From Bevboy's BlackBerry to Bevboy's Blog!
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Post 2179 - One Day To Go
I am home for the evening. Toastmasters tonight was pretty good. I hadn't wanted to go that much, but I always feel better after a meeting than I do going in.
This is my Thursday. Tomorrow is my Friday. I will be spending a couple extra days at my mother's. I will either drive up after work on Thursday or first thing on Friday morning. I'd prefer to go up tomorrow night. Wake up there Friday morning.
I have a list of things I need to do at my mother's this weekend. Most notably, I have to prepare the lawn tractor for the Winter. This is stuff I have had to learn since my father died. I make sure the gas tank is filled. I put some fuel stabilizer in the tank. I run the engine for 20 minutes or so. When I'm confident that the fuel stabilizer has worked its way through the machine, I remove the battery from the unit and store it inside the house where it can remain warm, preserving the battery for another year. Dad never bothered to do that with the lawn tractor, leaving the battery in the garage during the Winter months, and declining to use fuel stabilizer. With respect, I think he was wrong. This preventive maintenance can keep the unit going for several more years.
After that chore is done, I will have to make sure there is nothing else in the garage that might suffer by being exposed to the cold between now and April or May, and that there is nothing in the garage that I might require during those months. Snow tends to pile up against the garage during those months, and I don't want to have to go out there unless I really have to.
The house itself requires some fine tuning. I will spare you the deets.
There are other things to do this weekend as well, most notably taking my mother shopping for long periods of time. In between those bouts, I will probably sleep and keep Newbie company. He is a demanding cat. Bastard.
Patricia will have Cindy Clawford for the weekend. It will be just the two of them here. They will enjoy each other's company.
I guess that's it for tonight.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
This is my Thursday. Tomorrow is my Friday. I will be spending a couple extra days at my mother's. I will either drive up after work on Thursday or first thing on Friday morning. I'd prefer to go up tomorrow night. Wake up there Friday morning.
I have a list of things I need to do at my mother's this weekend. Most notably, I have to prepare the lawn tractor for the Winter. This is stuff I have had to learn since my father died. I make sure the gas tank is filled. I put some fuel stabilizer in the tank. I run the engine for 20 minutes or so. When I'm confident that the fuel stabilizer has worked its way through the machine, I remove the battery from the unit and store it inside the house where it can remain warm, preserving the battery for another year. Dad never bothered to do that with the lawn tractor, leaving the battery in the garage during the Winter months, and declining to use fuel stabilizer. With respect, I think he was wrong. This preventive maintenance can keep the unit going for several more years.
After that chore is done, I will have to make sure there is nothing else in the garage that might suffer by being exposed to the cold between now and April or May, and that there is nothing in the garage that I might require during those months. Snow tends to pile up against the garage during those months, and I don't want to have to go out there unless I really have to.
The house itself requires some fine tuning. I will spare you the deets.
There are other things to do this weekend as well, most notably taking my mother shopping for long periods of time. In between those bouts, I will probably sleep and keep Newbie company. He is a demanding cat. Bastard.
Patricia will have Cindy Clawford for the weekend. It will be just the two of them here. They will enjoy each other's company.
I guess that's it for tonight.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Post 2178 - Bevboy's Thoughts About Pat Connolly
I heard the news of the passing of Pat Connolly via a Facebook status update earlier today from my friend Wayne Harrett.
I interviewed Pat in 2009. This interview was arranged by my friend Ian Robinson, who of course worked with Pat for many years as announcers for the Halifax Mooseheads.
Pat was a great delight. Patricia practically fell in love with him, and I don't blame her. I cannot think of a more interesting and charming person who has crossed my path, particularly since I began these interviews nearly 5 years ago. I consider myself very lucky to have met him. Once again, I state that it is pathetic that the longest interview that Pat ever did was with me, a humble blogger. He should have been interviewed by broadcasting luminaries for hours and hours at a time. He should have put out a book, or even a series of books. Instead, if you want to read an interview with Pat, it has to be the one that yours truly produced. Unacceptable.
(If you want to read part one of the Pat Connolly interview, here it is. If you want to read part two, here it is.)
We spoke on two occasions. The second time was at Smitty's on Spring Garden Road. As I had paid for lunch the first time, he insisted on paying for lunch the second time. After he left us, he drove to CTV and was interviewed for 7 minutes by Steve Murphy.
Pat was a gentleman. He answered my questions with patience and warmth and good humour. And it was because of him that I was able to meet and speak with Don Tremaine a few months later.
I'm told that Pat never had a bad word to say about anybody. That he had time for a blogger like me just proves that.
I do not know about funeral plans. When I do, I will share those plans with you here.
My very best to Pat's family and friends during this difficult time.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
Monday, November 26, 2012
Post 2177 – The Deal of the Art, Parts 18-20
Life has been so interesting lately that I missed out on the last few editions of my friend Mark Dooley’s excellent series.
Mark, I apologize. I will contact you later and supply an alternative email address that is monitored much more closely. You can use that address going forward.
I have a question for you guys. I am a big fan of Mark’s work. I have received some pretty positive comments about his work from my 4.7 regular readers. I am wondering, however, what others think of Mark’s work.
Remember: Mark does this work for the love of doing it, much the same as my interviews with local radio celebrities. Those things cost me money and more free time than I would care to admit to myself or anybody else. I do not know how much time Mark spends on his art, and how much it may affect his home life. I just know that I like his work a lot and feel honoured to present it here. Being the official Canadian distributor for Mark Dooley’s work makes me feel pretty good. But Mark is probably a lot like me in this regard. We both get very little feedback, positive or negative, for the work we produce on a regular basis. I think it’s high time for some now.
Therefore, my questions are: Do you like Mark’s work? Do you want to see more of it? Do you have any suggestions for storylines? Do you have any questions about any of the characters in his storylines?
You can reply via a response to this blog post, via a reply to the tweet that is produced by publishing this blog post, via a Facebook comment either at my main FB page, or the FB Bevboy’s Blog fan page, or by sending an email to this address.
Start thinking. Start writing. We both look forward to your feedback.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Post 2176 - Halifax
Hey, folks.
I am back in the city after a sudden and unexpected trip to the cottage.
Patricia has asked me to be circumspect about the reasons for this trip, at least for the time being. Suffice it to say that on Thursday, when Patricia drove to Pictou County to see her father be interred into his grave, proving to herself that the son of a bitch truly was dead, she drove past the family home and discovered a situation that required her immediate attention. It was so important that she called me at work and practically begged me to drop what I was doing and help her deal with this situation.
I had planned to be at my mother's this past weekend. After I got home from donating blood on Thursday, I explained the situation in general terms. Mom wasn't happy about it because she had drawn up long, complicated shopping plans involving me and now they would not come to fruition; but she ultimately understood.
Friday morning, after I got up, I left the 2 cats in the house with plenty of extra food and water and drove the 2 hours to the cottage. I got there minutes after Patricia had returned from running some important errands pursuant to this situation.
We discussed a plan of attack. The situation would come to a head on Saturday, the 24th, and would require both of us.
Let's see here. What can I say, and how can I say it?
Saturday morning we arrived at the family dwelling. We remained there for the next 8 hours dealing as best we could with the situation. It was a highly stressful, draining experience. When we arrived at the cottage many hours after we had left, we collapsed on the couches in the living room and tried to watch some television. But we were both so tired, so drained from the experience, that it proved impossible to stay awake for long. We went to bed early.
We got up this morning quite late. We resumed watching some stuff I'd brought down on tape, but after an hour we both grew tired again. By 11:45 or so, we went back to sleep.
Mid-afternoon, we woke up again and drove into the town of Pictou to get a late lunch, early dinner. We took separate vehicles as I was going to return to the city after eating and Patricia would remain at the cottage until Tuesday, finishing up some last-minute cleaning and putting things away before the plumber arrived Tuesday morning at 9 to turn off the water for another year.
This has been one of the most stressful few days of my life, rivaling the week my father died in 2010. We got through it, but it took a lot out of us. As it is, we had to leave the cats behind for 2 days, something we hate to do. We had to draw on every resource at our disposal to deal with this situation. I'm just glad we made it through the other side. What doesn't kill you, blah blah blah.
Another work week awaits me. I look forward to returning to a routine.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
I am back in the city after a sudden and unexpected trip to the cottage.
Patricia has asked me to be circumspect about the reasons for this trip, at least for the time being. Suffice it to say that on Thursday, when Patricia drove to Pictou County to see her father be interred into his grave, proving to herself that the son of a bitch truly was dead, she drove past the family home and discovered a situation that required her immediate attention. It was so important that she called me at work and practically begged me to drop what I was doing and help her deal with this situation.
I had planned to be at my mother's this past weekend. After I got home from donating blood on Thursday, I explained the situation in general terms. Mom wasn't happy about it because she had drawn up long, complicated shopping plans involving me and now they would not come to fruition; but she ultimately understood.
Friday morning, after I got up, I left the 2 cats in the house with plenty of extra food and water and drove the 2 hours to the cottage. I got there minutes after Patricia had returned from running some important errands pursuant to this situation.
We discussed a plan of attack. The situation would come to a head on Saturday, the 24th, and would require both of us.
Let's see here. What can I say, and how can I say it?
Saturday morning we arrived at the family dwelling. We remained there for the next 8 hours dealing as best we could with the situation. It was a highly stressful, draining experience. When we arrived at the cottage many hours after we had left, we collapsed on the couches in the living room and tried to watch some television. But we were both so tired, so drained from the experience, that it proved impossible to stay awake for long. We went to bed early.
We got up this morning quite late. We resumed watching some stuff I'd brought down on tape, but after an hour we both grew tired again. By 11:45 or so, we went back to sleep.
Mid-afternoon, we woke up again and drove into the town of Pictou to get a late lunch, early dinner. We took separate vehicles as I was going to return to the city after eating and Patricia would remain at the cottage until Tuesday, finishing up some last-minute cleaning and putting things away before the plumber arrived Tuesday morning at 9 to turn off the water for another year.
This has been one of the most stressful few days of my life, rivaling the week my father died in 2010. We got through it, but it took a lot out of us. As it is, we had to leave the cats behind for 2 days, something we hate to do. We had to draw on every resource at our disposal to deal with this situation. I'm just glad we made it through the other side. What doesn't kill you, blah blah blah.
Another work week awaits me. I look forward to returning to a routine.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
Friday, November 23, 2012
Post 2175 - Pictou
Hey, folks.
I write these words at the cottage. I drove up here this morning to help Patricia prepare the place for Winter.
We had great fun removing an old, rusted harrow from the shed and putting it behind the shed where we can't see it. Moving that thing just proved to me how out of shape I am. Had to catch my breath every few minutes. Now, at least, we've freed up some space in the shed, which can accommodate things we get down the road. We would love to have a rototiller.
After that hard work, I was exhausted and napped for 90 minutes or so. We had some dinner and spent several hours watching some stuff we had taped recently. Yes. We still use vcr's. Old tech but it still works.
Tomorrow we will run some errands. I will return to the city in the afternoon. Patricia will return on Sunday I think.
Never thought I'd get another chance to visit the cottage this year. It's been an unexpected pleasure. I will miss it over the next 6 months or so. But I miss digital cable and internet access more. Bevboy likes his creature comforts.
Seeya tomorrow.
From Bevboy's BlackBerry to Bevboy's Blog!
I write these words at the cottage. I drove up here this morning to help Patricia prepare the place for Winter.
We had great fun removing an old, rusted harrow from the shed and putting it behind the shed where we can't see it. Moving that thing just proved to me how out of shape I am. Had to catch my breath every few minutes. Now, at least, we've freed up some space in the shed, which can accommodate things we get down the road. We would love to have a rototiller.
After that hard work, I was exhausted and napped for 90 minutes or so. We had some dinner and spent several hours watching some stuff we had taped recently. Yes. We still use vcr's. Old tech but it still works.
Tomorrow we will run some errands. I will return to the city in the afternoon. Patricia will return on Sunday I think.
Never thought I'd get another chance to visit the cottage this year. It's been an unexpected pleasure. I will miss it over the next 6 months or so. But I miss digital cable and internet access more. Bevboy likes his creature comforts.
Seeya tomorrow.
From Bevboy's BlackBerry to Bevboy's Blog!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Post 2174 - A Change of Plans
Well, so much for that!
I was going to spend the weekend at my mother's place. Had all kinds of things to do down there.
But.
For reasons best not discussed here, I have to spend the bulk of the weekend in Pictou County, helping Patricia out with something. She is already there. I should be at the cottage by lunch time on Friday. Next weekend, I'll be at my mother's. Promise!
I ordered something last week from Tiger Direct. According to an automatically-produced email, the thing I ordered on the 15th was delivered to my front door at 5:24 this afternoon. I wasn't home, but was here by 6:10 or so. I just now went outside to see if I could find the item, but no dice. When they say something was delivered to the front door, do they mean that literally? Or if someone isn't home, do they hide it on the property? Or, do they try to send it again?
BTW, this is not Canada Post. It was sent by UPS.
Anybody reading this ever order something from Tiger Direct?
I have a long day tomorrow. Guess I'll call it a night.
It's a night.
Ha ha. I have a million of them.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
I was going to spend the weekend at my mother's place. Had all kinds of things to do down there.
But.
For reasons best not discussed here, I have to spend the bulk of the weekend in Pictou County, helping Patricia out with something. She is already there. I should be at the cottage by lunch time on Friday. Next weekend, I'll be at my mother's. Promise!
I ordered something last week from Tiger Direct. According to an automatically-produced email, the thing I ordered on the 15th was delivered to my front door at 5:24 this afternoon. I wasn't home, but was here by 6:10 or so. I just now went outside to see if I could find the item, but no dice. When they say something was delivered to the front door, do they mean that literally? Or if someone isn't home, do they hide it on the property? Or, do they try to send it again?
BTW, this is not Canada Post. It was sent by UPS.
Anybody reading this ever order something from Tiger Direct?
I have a long day tomorrow. Guess I'll call it a night.
It's a night.
Ha ha. I have a million of them.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Post 2173 - Wednesday
Are you detecting a trend in the blog post naming this week? Anybody want to guess that tomorrow's will be called?
Let's see here. I took my lunch to work today and forgot to eat it. Me forgetting to eat lunch is like a guy forgetting to check his fly when he leaves the washroom. But I managed it anyway. It will languish in the fridge at work until tomorrow, unless I forget to eat it again.
After work, I went to Toastmasters. I had a very difficult time finding a place to park. There was a Mooseheads game this evening. The team is doing so well this year that they're selling out, or nearly selling out, every home game. Great for them, but not so great if you need to find a parking space anywhere close to where you want to go. I ended up parking on Hollis Street behind Maritime Centre, and then trudging the distance to the World Trade Centre on Argyle. Not that long a walk, but longer than I felt like walking.
The meeting was fine. More than fine, actually. We had a ton of guests, so many in fact that we ran out of chairs and a couple of them had to stand in the doorway of the room we meet in. One of those folks ended up winning this week's Table Topics competition, along with a cappuccino mug and spoon, so he was happy.
What's table topics, you ask?
It's all about speaking off the cuff, with little or no preparation time. I have found that it has helped me think very quickly on my feet. People at my work wonder how I am able to come up with witty comments in response to what another person said. It is because I have been doing Table Topics for 21 years.
A few years ago, I was in a learning session with a few people from work, along with my boss, Kevin. We were discussing Oracle and how they combine some commands into one to make things more efficient. One such command was an "upsert", a combination of an update and insert.
Instantly, I said, "Well, I guess they could also have called it "indate. Indate. That's what we do in the Keddy family."
Hilarity ensued. People caught my allusion. I didn't have to say another thing, so I didn't. But the moment was a genuine one and so was the laughter. We were down for a good 3 minutes before resuming the session.
I have no idea where that line came from, folks. I had only heard the term upsert 10 seconds earlier. But my years of having to speak in front of groups of people and having had to make up what I was saying as I was going along, all have helped me say this outrageous things.
There are other examples. I probably shouldn't be spelling out too many of them for fear of the wrong person reading them and thinking that I was talking about him.
Anyway, the meeting went well. I made my walk back to the car and drove home. Patricia was in her fave chair covered in a blanket to stay warm. Newbie greeted me at the door. About 2 hours ago, shortly after 8, I came downstairs where I have been ever since.
Newbie is next to me, resting on the top of a bookcase, waiting for me to finish typing in this crap so that we can head off to bed. Horny little bastard. He's insatiable. I'm not complaining. Just stating some observations.
Tomorrow is my Friday. I will be at my mom's this weekend, and she is already drawing out a plan of attack for the malls and other shopping opportunities. I really must buy her a GPS unit to make this process easier for her.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
Let's see here. I took my lunch to work today and forgot to eat it. Me forgetting to eat lunch is like a guy forgetting to check his fly when he leaves the washroom. But I managed it anyway. It will languish in the fridge at work until tomorrow, unless I forget to eat it again.
After work, I went to Toastmasters. I had a very difficult time finding a place to park. There was a Mooseheads game this evening. The team is doing so well this year that they're selling out, or nearly selling out, every home game. Great for them, but not so great if you need to find a parking space anywhere close to where you want to go. I ended up parking on Hollis Street behind Maritime Centre, and then trudging the distance to the World Trade Centre on Argyle. Not that long a walk, but longer than I felt like walking.
The meeting was fine. More than fine, actually. We had a ton of guests, so many in fact that we ran out of chairs and a couple of them had to stand in the doorway of the room we meet in. One of those folks ended up winning this week's Table Topics competition, along with a cappuccino mug and spoon, so he was happy.
What's table topics, you ask?
It's all about speaking off the cuff, with little or no preparation time. I have found that it has helped me think very quickly on my feet. People at my work wonder how I am able to come up with witty comments in response to what another person said. It is because I have been doing Table Topics for 21 years.
A few years ago, I was in a learning session with a few people from work, along with my boss, Kevin. We were discussing Oracle and how they combine some commands into one to make things more efficient. One such command was an "upsert", a combination of an update and insert.
Instantly, I said, "Well, I guess they could also have called it "indate. Indate. That's what we do in the Keddy family."
Hilarity ensued. People caught my allusion. I didn't have to say another thing, so I didn't. But the moment was a genuine one and so was the laughter. We were down for a good 3 minutes before resuming the session.
I have no idea where that line came from, folks. I had only heard the term upsert 10 seconds earlier. But my years of having to speak in front of groups of people and having had to make up what I was saying as I was going along, all have helped me say this outrageous things.
There are other examples. I probably shouldn't be spelling out too many of them for fear of the wrong person reading them and thinking that I was talking about him.
Anyway, the meeting went well. I made my walk back to the car and drove home. Patricia was in her fave chair covered in a blanket to stay warm. Newbie greeted me at the door. About 2 hours ago, shortly after 8, I came downstairs where I have been ever since.
Newbie is next to me, resting on the top of a bookcase, waiting for me to finish typing in this crap so that we can head off to bed. Horny little bastard. He's insatiable. I'm not complaining. Just stating some observations.
Tomorrow is my Friday. I will be at my mom's this weekend, and she is already drawing out a plan of attack for the malls and other shopping opportunities. I really must buy her a GPS unit to make this process easier for her.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Post 2172 - Tuesday
Hey, folks.
It is past 10:30. I just spent 30 minutes on youtube playing back ABC's Fall Preview for 1966. Don't ask me why. My interests are vast.
Patricia's birthday was today. After work, we met at a place called the Sweet Hereafter, an establishment that serves different types of cheesecake. They serve a cheesecake to cater to every interest, every food restriction, every fetish. We had never been there before. We will be back.
I keep forgetting how close I am to certain parts of the city now. It was barely a 5 minute drive from my work to Quinpool Road. It took nearly as long as that to find a parking space, and then hie myself to the place. I waited for Patricia. I got the wifi password and played with my kindle for a few minutes.
Patricia arrived, surprised that I would already be there. Maybe she should lobby her work to let her move to the North end of the city as well.
After we finished our cheesecakes, we drove to Empire Theatres in Bayers Lake, with the intention of seeing "Skyfall". By the time we got there, it was just past 6pm, and the film would commence in about 8 minutes. No way could we get our passes exchanged for actual tickets in that length of time, not with the lineups confronting us. So, we left with the promise of seeing the movie as soon as we can. We instead checked out Chapters for a while.
While there, I saw a book that I absolutely must read. It is called "Don't Tell the Newfoundlanders", by ex-Codco member Greg Malone. It is about the twists and turns and skullduggery that went on behind the scenes to get Newfoundland and Labrador to join Canada in 1949. Coincidentally enough, it just came out today. I chanced upon it in the history section of the store.
Bookstores may be on their way out, but things like the kindle store aren't very helpful if you don't know what you're looking for. It's hard to browse when there are literally thousands of entries for a given genre. At Chapters, there is a History section with maybe 500 different books in it, broken down into subsections like World History and Canadian history. I know you don't care, but I wish the kindle store would make random browsing a little easier to do, because I would never have known about this book through the kindle bookstore.
Anyway, we returned home around 7:30. The cats greeted us, and wouldn't leave us alone until we had fed them. I don't blame them. I am the same way with Patricia when I'm home all day and she gets home from work.
Tomorrow I will go back to Toastmasters. I haven't been to a meeting in several weeks and I miss the joint. I will report back on how the meeting went, tomorrow night, because I know all 4.7 of you hang on every word.
Newbie is looking at me, playing with his fur in that seductive way of his. You know what that means!
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
It is past 10:30. I just spent 30 minutes on youtube playing back ABC's Fall Preview for 1966. Don't ask me why. My interests are vast.
Patricia's birthday was today. After work, we met at a place called the Sweet Hereafter, an establishment that serves different types of cheesecake. They serve a cheesecake to cater to every interest, every food restriction, every fetish. We had never been there before. We will be back.
I keep forgetting how close I am to certain parts of the city now. It was barely a 5 minute drive from my work to Quinpool Road. It took nearly as long as that to find a parking space, and then hie myself to the place. I waited for Patricia. I got the wifi password and played with my kindle for a few minutes.
Patricia arrived, surprised that I would already be there. Maybe she should lobby her work to let her move to the North end of the city as well.
After we finished our cheesecakes, we drove to Empire Theatres in Bayers Lake, with the intention of seeing "Skyfall". By the time we got there, it was just past 6pm, and the film would commence in about 8 minutes. No way could we get our passes exchanged for actual tickets in that length of time, not with the lineups confronting us. So, we left with the promise of seeing the movie as soon as we can. We instead checked out Chapters for a while.
While there, I saw a book that I absolutely must read. It is called "Don't Tell the Newfoundlanders", by ex-Codco member Greg Malone. It is about the twists and turns and skullduggery that went on behind the scenes to get Newfoundland and Labrador to join Canada in 1949. Coincidentally enough, it just came out today. I chanced upon it in the history section of the store.
Bookstores may be on their way out, but things like the kindle store aren't very helpful if you don't know what you're looking for. It's hard to browse when there are literally thousands of entries for a given genre. At Chapters, there is a History section with maybe 500 different books in it, broken down into subsections like World History and Canadian history. I know you don't care, but I wish the kindle store would make random browsing a little easier to do, because I would never have known about this book through the kindle bookstore.
Anyway, we returned home around 7:30. The cats greeted us, and wouldn't leave us alone until we had fed them. I don't blame them. I am the same way with Patricia when I'm home all day and she gets home from work.
Tomorrow I will go back to Toastmasters. I haven't been to a meeting in several weeks and I miss the joint. I will report back on how the meeting went, tomorrow night, because I know all 4.7 of you hang on every word.
Newbie is looking at me, playing with his fur in that seductive way of his. You know what that means!
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
Monday, November 19, 2012
Post 2171 - Monday
It is 9:30 at night. I am in my jammies. I will be turning in shortly. Long day, which followed not much sleep.
I was up until 12:30 this morning watching The Walking Dead and then The Talking Dead, the talk show which discusses the just-broadcast episode. It may sound like, um, overkill, but that talk show is great fun.
The price I paid for this was having an even more difficult time getting up than usual. I console myself in the fact that this will be a 4 day work week for me.
Patricia had a doctor's appointment this afternoon and I attended it with her. I had to work late this evening because a client wanted me to do some stuff that could only be done outside of core work hours. So the fact that I worked late this evening should make up for the time I missed this afternoon. All comes out in the wash.
When I finally did finish work, close to 5:30, I went to the car, where Patricia was resting inside, freezing her ass off, waiting for me. She could have waited for me at my work and been comparatively warm and comfortable, but she wouldn't hear of it. To make up for her discomfort we had dinner at Michael's Bar and Grill, a pretty good pub that we go to quite often.
We got home. Watched Inner Space on the Space Channel. Watched Castle. Patricia is watching "Bones" right now. I don't like that show, so I came up here.
Newbie rests next to me, all curled up, with a paw over his eyes to block the bright light of the ceiling fan. That come hither gaze and gentle trill will wash over his face shortly, and as you know, it is a clarion call I cannot resist. Someone said that dogs have owners and cats have staff. I am definitely Newbie's bitch.
You guys have a good evening. I will see you tomorrow.
Bevboy
I was up until 12:30 this morning watching The Walking Dead and then The Talking Dead, the talk show which discusses the just-broadcast episode. It may sound like, um, overkill, but that talk show is great fun.
The price I paid for this was having an even more difficult time getting up than usual. I console myself in the fact that this will be a 4 day work week for me.
Patricia had a doctor's appointment this afternoon and I attended it with her. I had to work late this evening because a client wanted me to do some stuff that could only be done outside of core work hours. So the fact that I worked late this evening should make up for the time I missed this afternoon. All comes out in the wash.
When I finally did finish work, close to 5:30, I went to the car, where Patricia was resting inside, freezing her ass off, waiting for me. She could have waited for me at my work and been comparatively warm and comfortable, but she wouldn't hear of it. To make up for her discomfort we had dinner at Michael's Bar and Grill, a pretty good pub that we go to quite often.
We got home. Watched Inner Space on the Space Channel. Watched Castle. Patricia is watching "Bones" right now. I don't like that show, so I came up here.
Newbie rests next to me, all curled up, with a paw over his eyes to block the bright light of the ceiling fan. That come hither gaze and gentle trill will wash over his face shortly, and as you know, it is a clarion call I cannot resist. Someone said that dogs have owners and cats have staff. I am definitely Newbie's bitch.
You guys have a good evening. I will see you tomorrow.
Bevboy
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Post 2170 - Back Home
We are back home from the Jesse Cook concert. It was wonderful.
But I'm getting ahead of my story.
Patricia's birthday is the 20th. We decided to go out to dinner this evening to celebrate. We ended up going to Ele, which used to be called Opa! until they ran afoul of another Greek restaurant chain somewhere out West and had to change their name.
It's just a name. This Greek restaurant is excellent. We had to appetizers: hummus and ... crap, what is it called? It's a cheese set on fire for a few seconds, and you eat it with bread and some balsamic vinegar mixture. Terrific stuff. It is called Kefalo Saganaki.
My main course was Mousaka; Patricia had a pasta dish that had a combination of beef and lamb and egg plant and other stuff. It's called Lamb Youvetsi. She loved it, but there was so much of it that she couldn't finish it. We brought the rest of it home.
For dessert, we had a very interesting Greek thing that had shredded philo pastry with whipped cream. In looking at the check just now, I don't think I was charged for it. I should call them tomorrow and make this right. Maybe being Patricia's birthday, she got a free dessert. Dunno.
The service tonight was excellent. Tanya was our server. The really good servers know innately when diners need something and can anticipate when to leave us alone. It is some kind of sixth sense, and Tanya seems to have it.
From there, we drove to the Rebecca Cohn for the Jesse Cook concert. I am not the biggest JC fan out there. A little of that flamenco music goes a long way. But I had a very good time. If he comes back to Halifax, I may go see him again.
I can't embed this video, but here is a link to a Jesse Cook tune. I hope you like it.
It has been a good evening. It is late, and I am over tired. I am watching The Walking Dead and writing this blog post during commercials. Patricia remains downstairs watching television. Newbie is laid out in front of me, pretty much asleep. I know he missed us when we were gone. Missed the food and the company. Not us per se.
You guys have a good evening. I will see you tomorrow.
Bevboy
But I'm getting ahead of my story.
Patricia's birthday is the 20th. We decided to go out to dinner this evening to celebrate. We ended up going to Ele, which used to be called Opa! until they ran afoul of another Greek restaurant chain somewhere out West and had to change their name.
It's just a name. This Greek restaurant is excellent. We had to appetizers: hummus and ... crap, what is it called? It's a cheese set on fire for a few seconds, and you eat it with bread and some balsamic vinegar mixture. Terrific stuff. It is called Kefalo Saganaki.
My main course was Mousaka; Patricia had a pasta dish that had a combination of beef and lamb and egg plant and other stuff. It's called Lamb Youvetsi. She loved it, but there was so much of it that she couldn't finish it. We brought the rest of it home.
For dessert, we had a very interesting Greek thing that had shredded philo pastry with whipped cream. In looking at the check just now, I don't think I was charged for it. I should call them tomorrow and make this right. Maybe being Patricia's birthday, she got a free dessert. Dunno.
The service tonight was excellent. Tanya was our server. The really good servers know innately when diners need something and can anticipate when to leave us alone. It is some kind of sixth sense, and Tanya seems to have it.
From there, we drove to the Rebecca Cohn for the Jesse Cook concert. I am not the biggest JC fan out there. A little of that flamenco music goes a long way. But I had a very good time. If he comes back to Halifax, I may go see him again.
I can't embed this video, but here is a link to a Jesse Cook tune. I hope you like it.
It has been a good evening. It is late, and I am over tired. I am watching The Walking Dead and writing this blog post during commercials. Patricia remains downstairs watching television. Newbie is laid out in front of me, pretty much asleep. I know he missed us when we were gone. Missed the food and the company. Not us per se.
You guys have a good evening. I will see you tomorrow.
Bevboy
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Post 2169 - Saturday
Well, I wish I could say I had done a lot today. Instead, I slept in for so long today that Newbie was checking my pulse to see if I was still alive. I think he was a little disappointed when he discovered that I still was.
I prepared a late brunch for Patricia and me. I washed the dishes. And for nearly 3 hours now, I have been downstairs in my home office, washing clothes and watching some a couple episodes of "Revolution". Newbie is next to me on a bookcase, curled up, sleeping. I don't think he wants to go back upstairs.
For the first time this year, I have given into the colder weather and turned on the heat downstairs. I was hoping to forego that until the first of December. No dice.
Tomorrow is a Jesse Cook concert at the Rebecca Cohn. Patricia got the tickets months and months ago. We will probably go out to dinner beforehand. It should be a good time. Of course, I will tell you all about it afterward.
That is about all that has happened today. Sorry it was such a dull day for me.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
I prepared a late brunch for Patricia and me. I washed the dishes. And for nearly 3 hours now, I have been downstairs in my home office, washing clothes and watching some a couple episodes of "Revolution". Newbie is next to me on a bookcase, curled up, sleeping. I don't think he wants to go back upstairs.
For the first time this year, I have given into the colder weather and turned on the heat downstairs. I was hoping to forego that until the first of December. No dice.
Tomorrow is a Jesse Cook concert at the Rebecca Cohn. Patricia got the tickets months and months ago. We will probably go out to dinner beforehand. It should be a good time. Of course, I will tell you all about it afterward.
That is about all that has happened today. Sorry it was such a dull day for me.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
Friday, November 16, 2012
Post 2168 - A Long Day
It is Friday night. I am in my jammies upstairs while Patricia watches television on the main level. Newbie is marking his territory on the bed, eying me seductively. I will have to turn in soon if only to keep him from caterwauling.
It was a long day. Not so much at work, but at an overview/infomercial for an upcoming software release. The three of us piled in one of our cars and parked downtown, trudging to the training centre, lured by the promise of home-baked chocolate chip cookies.
We arrived at the session around 2; it started at 2:30. I should have known that because it was discussing a software release in the form of a webinar that there would be technical problems, and there were. Lots of them. I had no idea what the head guy was saying about two-thirds of the time. The cookies ran out long before the session did. Never mind about my patience.
I have gone to many technical sessions over the years, or just sessions in which people are using an overhead, or an lcd projector, or somesuch device designed to facilitate the transfer of information from the person to the audience. More often than not, there is some technical glitch, and they have to spend 20 minutes getting the damn device to work. I have seen many intelligent folks huddled over a computer and a projector and whatever else, trying to get everything to talk to each other. I guess it never occurred to them to test that stuff before the presentation started, huh? I am not quite at the point where I think that all such "learning tools" should be banned, but I am getting there in a hurry.
When it was all over, after some 3 hours, the techy guy at the office offered us each a thumb drive containing the contents of the presentation that we had spent the bulk of the afternoon being unable to see, hear or follow. At least we can look at it at our leisure. And have the use of a 1gb thumb drive on to which I can potentially put thousands of pictures of Newbie.
Tomorrow Patricia and I will... well, I have not been told yet. I hope that we go see "Skyfall", but that depends on what our temperament will be like tomorrow. We both want to see it.
It has been several months since I conducted a blog interview. I am feeling the juices flowing again, and I don't mean the discharge from that gaping wound I created for myself this past weekend when I was cutting up vegetables. I want to sit down with another radio person, maybe even two, before the holidays. The only question is, who should those folks be? I will give that some thought over the weekend. I'm open to your suggestions, but several people have expressed an interest in sitting down with little old me.
I guess that's it for tonight.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
It was a long day. Not so much at work, but at an overview/infomercial for an upcoming software release. The three of us piled in one of our cars and parked downtown, trudging to the training centre, lured by the promise of home-baked chocolate chip cookies.
We arrived at the session around 2; it started at 2:30. I should have known that because it was discussing a software release in the form of a webinar that there would be technical problems, and there were. Lots of them. I had no idea what the head guy was saying about two-thirds of the time. The cookies ran out long before the session did. Never mind about my patience.
I have gone to many technical sessions over the years, or just sessions in which people are using an overhead, or an lcd projector, or somesuch device designed to facilitate the transfer of information from the person to the audience. More often than not, there is some technical glitch, and they have to spend 20 minutes getting the damn device to work. I have seen many intelligent folks huddled over a computer and a projector and whatever else, trying to get everything to talk to each other. I guess it never occurred to them to test that stuff before the presentation started, huh? I am not quite at the point where I think that all such "learning tools" should be banned, but I am getting there in a hurry.
When it was all over, after some 3 hours, the techy guy at the office offered us each a thumb drive containing the contents of the presentation that we had spent the bulk of the afternoon being unable to see, hear or follow. At least we can look at it at our leisure. And have the use of a 1gb thumb drive on to which I can potentially put thousands of pictures of Newbie.
Tomorrow Patricia and I will... well, I have not been told yet. I hope that we go see "Skyfall", but that depends on what our temperament will be like tomorrow. We both want to see it.
It has been several months since I conducted a blog interview. I am feeling the juices flowing again, and I don't mean the discharge from that gaping wound I created for myself this past weekend when I was cutting up vegetables. I want to sit down with another radio person, maybe even two, before the holidays. The only question is, who should those folks be? I will give that some thought over the weekend. I'm open to your suggestions, but several people have expressed an interest in sitting down with little old me.
I guess that's it for tonight.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Post 2167 - I Can Talk!
You will dimly recall that I have been spending a lot of time lately at the dentist's. You will also remember that I do not enjoy going to the dentist, expressing a preference to lick the floor of the men's room at the Dome, although I did not specify a particular night of the week.
Well, I went back today after work. I had had a temporary crown installed in a molar a couple of weeks ago. The permanent one was installed today. They gave me 2 needles to freeze my mouth after they sprayed my mouth to begin the freezing process.
The dentist and his assistant held my mouth open, using some kind of dental dam to make the process easier for them. They gently removed the temporary cap and then put the permanent one in. Of course they asked me to examine the permanent cap and to explore it with my tongue. My mouth still being frozen, I had no idea what it felt like. Hours later, I can report that it feels nice and smooth, porcelain-like.
When they turned their back on me, I got up and ran out before they could think of something else to do to me. Once off the elevator, I called Patricia on the BlackBerry.
"Thware, thoney, AOwl Bee Hommee tsoon!"
"Pardon? Is that you, Bev?"
"Yeth. Mee. Finished at dentith. Dwiving hoan now. See ewe around sixth. Hope ewe serve thumthinth that won't hurth my knew crownt."
"Yes, dear. I thought of that already. We're having fish cakes!"
"Wow! Thath's greath! Kan thardlee waith!"
I got in my car, my tongue hanging out of my mouth like Wile E. Coyote considering a meal involving a roadrunner. My mouth was still frozen. I was probably drooling, not just because I was hungry, but because my mouth was frozen, you big dummy.
The worst of rush hour traffic was over. I got home in about 25 minutes, which is pretty good for that time of night. I walked through the door.
Patricia was sitting in her chair watching Live at Five.
"Hie, thoney. How wuz your thay?"
"Fine, dear. Get your fishcakes."
I made my way into the kitchen and put a couple of fish cakes on a plate. I bit into one. And tasted nothing at all. My mouth was still frozen and my sense of taste was nearly non-existent.
I spent the next couple of hours grimacing, moving my mouth around in strange contortions in a vain effort to get feeling in my face again. How do people use Botox, anyway?
Two hours later, I was able to eat something again and realize what I was putting in my mouth and actually taste food again. My drool had congealed on my shirt in a pleasing drying puddle. And my tongue was no longer hanging out of my mouth like a victim of a neck tie party gone awry.
The hell of it all is that a lot of this was my fault. If I had just gone to the dentist on a more regular basis the last couple of years, I might have avoided all this work and co-pay and discomfort. Like I said, it's my fault.
I vow to floss more often.
I vow to brush my teeth after every meal.
I vow not to eat foods like popcorn that cause my teeth to look like a lunar landscape.
I vow to eat more fishcakes though. Patricia and my mother can have a fish cake marathon and I can eat myself into oblivion.
Or maybe I won't do any of those things.
It is a Bevboy's right to change his mind after all.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
Well, I went back today after work. I had had a temporary crown installed in a molar a couple of weeks ago. The permanent one was installed today. They gave me 2 needles to freeze my mouth after they sprayed my mouth to begin the freezing process.
The dentist and his assistant held my mouth open, using some kind of dental dam to make the process easier for them. They gently removed the temporary cap and then put the permanent one in. Of course they asked me to examine the permanent cap and to explore it with my tongue. My mouth still being frozen, I had no idea what it felt like. Hours later, I can report that it feels nice and smooth, porcelain-like.
When they turned their back on me, I got up and ran out before they could think of something else to do to me. Once off the elevator, I called Patricia on the BlackBerry.
"Thware, thoney, AOwl Bee Hommee tsoon!"
"Pardon? Is that you, Bev?"
"Yeth. Mee. Finished at dentith. Dwiving hoan now. See ewe around sixth. Hope ewe serve thumthinth that won't hurth my knew crownt."
"Yes, dear. I thought of that already. We're having fish cakes!"
"Wow! Thath's greath! Kan thardlee waith!"
I got in my car, my tongue hanging out of my mouth like Wile E. Coyote considering a meal involving a roadrunner. My mouth was still frozen. I was probably drooling, not just because I was hungry, but because my mouth was frozen, you big dummy.
The worst of rush hour traffic was over. I got home in about 25 minutes, which is pretty good for that time of night. I walked through the door.
Patricia was sitting in her chair watching Live at Five.
"Hie, thoney. How wuz your thay?"
"Fine, dear. Get your fishcakes."
I made my way into the kitchen and put a couple of fish cakes on a plate. I bit into one. And tasted nothing at all. My mouth was still frozen and my sense of taste was nearly non-existent.
I spent the next couple of hours grimacing, moving my mouth around in strange contortions in a vain effort to get feeling in my face again. How do people use Botox, anyway?
Two hours later, I was able to eat something again and realize what I was putting in my mouth and actually taste food again. My drool had congealed on my shirt in a pleasing drying puddle. And my tongue was no longer hanging out of my mouth like a victim of a neck tie party gone awry.
The hell of it all is that a lot of this was my fault. If I had just gone to the dentist on a more regular basis the last couple of years, I might have avoided all this work and co-pay and discomfort. Like I said, it's my fault.
I vow to floss more often.
I vow to brush my teeth after every meal.
I vow not to eat foods like popcorn that cause my teeth to look like a lunar landscape.
I vow to eat more fishcakes though. Patricia and my mother can have a fish cake marathon and I can eat myself into oblivion.
Or maybe I won't do any of those things.
It is a Bevboy's right to change his mind after all.
See you tomorrow.
Bevboy
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Post 2166 - Bevboy's Back
Hey, folks!
I'm back. Did you miss me?
Hmm? What's that? Oh, you hadn't noticed I was gone. Well, then!
I'm sorry once again that the Blog went on hiatus for a week. If it had been up to me, I would have continued it. But something happened last year that made me think it wise not to blog at times when I'm not at work, unless I'm on vacation or it's the weekend. If I'm sick or on some kind of leave other than vacation, it's in the best interests of yours truly to take a break from the blog. Further, affiant sayeth naught.
At any rate, Patricia and I drove to Pictou County last Thursday night. There was a torrential downpour, but we drove down anyway. We went right to the funeral home. Patricia said goodbye to her father while the undertaker and I chatted in a room across the hall. Heard all kinds of dirt about why a cemetary in Pictou County is the only one in the province whose perpetual care is paid for by taxpayers.
The next day was the graveside service. He didn't want a funeral. The weather was still inclement so we had the service inside the nearby chapel.
We remained in the county until Tuesday, when we returned to the city.
Patricia had a doctor's appointment in the downtown today, so I decided to tag along. The downtown has changed in the year + since I stopped working there. There is quite a bit of construction on Barrington Street. I wonder how the joint will look in 5 years or so.
Over the weekend, I reflected on some recent blog posts. I know I promised to put up some pictures from the recent Hal-Con, but obviously that hasn't happened yet. Don't worry. I will post some pics here, and soon.
Looks like Patricia and I will be returning to Pictou County this weekend, if only over night. We need to finish shutting down the cottage for another year. People think it is glamorous, having a cottage. In a certain sense, it is. But it is not just like having a second home to take care of, it is exactly like having a second home to take care of. Last time I checked, all the crap that needs to be done there doesn't do itself, whether it's mowing the lawn or putting the lawn ornaments away. During the summer we thought it would be a grand idea to drag the barbecue from the shed and carry it up one flight of stairs on the deck and keep it there. Now, we need to reverse that procedure, and it will be great fun to carry the damn thing down those same steps and lug it to the shed. We will have to do the same thing with the glass table we keep on the deck, plus anything else that needs to be put away.
Thursday night, right after work, I get the esteemed pleasure of returning to the dentist. As you know, I had all kinds of fun there a couple of weeks ago getting a temporary cap for a molar put in place, plus having a filling replaced. The permanent cap will be hammered into place tomorrow. I hope I don't have to go back for a while. A long while. Remember that post where I mentioned that I would rather lick the floor of the men's room at the Dome than go to the dentist? I meant it.
Oh, for those of you at my work who read this: You will notice that my right thumb looks pretty gross these days. That's because, over the weekend, I was cutting some vegetables and instead sliced my thumb open. Hurt like a bastard. On Monday, the wound reopened and I bled a bunch more, again. Great fun indeed. At least it is now, finally, on the mend.
And that, folks, is that. It sure is nice to be back. Let's hope that we can have a very long, uninterrupted series of posts. I have missed you, even if you haven't missed me. The 4.7 of you who read this now will have something to occupy your time for 5 minutes a day to take your mind off your dreary existences.
Have a great day. I love you all, all 4.7 of you!
Bevboy
I'm back. Did you miss me?
Hmm? What's that? Oh, you hadn't noticed I was gone. Well, then!
I'm sorry once again that the Blog went on hiatus for a week. If it had been up to me, I would have continued it. But something happened last year that made me think it wise not to blog at times when I'm not at work, unless I'm on vacation or it's the weekend. If I'm sick or on some kind of leave other than vacation, it's in the best interests of yours truly to take a break from the blog. Further, affiant sayeth naught.
At any rate, Patricia and I drove to Pictou County last Thursday night. There was a torrential downpour, but we drove down anyway. We went right to the funeral home. Patricia said goodbye to her father while the undertaker and I chatted in a room across the hall. Heard all kinds of dirt about why a cemetary in Pictou County is the only one in the province whose perpetual care is paid for by taxpayers.
The next day was the graveside service. He didn't want a funeral. The weather was still inclement so we had the service inside the nearby chapel.
We remained in the county until Tuesday, when we returned to the city.
Patricia had a doctor's appointment in the downtown today, so I decided to tag along. The downtown has changed in the year + since I stopped working there. There is quite a bit of construction on Barrington Street. I wonder how the joint will look in 5 years or so.
Over the weekend, I reflected on some recent blog posts. I know I promised to put up some pictures from the recent Hal-Con, but obviously that hasn't happened yet. Don't worry. I will post some pics here, and soon.
Looks like Patricia and I will be returning to Pictou County this weekend, if only over night. We need to finish shutting down the cottage for another year. People think it is glamorous, having a cottage. In a certain sense, it is. But it is not just like having a second home to take care of, it is exactly like having a second home to take care of. Last time I checked, all the crap that needs to be done there doesn't do itself, whether it's mowing the lawn or putting the lawn ornaments away. During the summer we thought it would be a grand idea to drag the barbecue from the shed and carry it up one flight of stairs on the deck and keep it there. Now, we need to reverse that procedure, and it will be great fun to carry the damn thing down those same steps and lug it to the shed. We will have to do the same thing with the glass table we keep on the deck, plus anything else that needs to be put away.
Thursday night, right after work, I get the esteemed pleasure of returning to the dentist. As you know, I had all kinds of fun there a couple of weeks ago getting a temporary cap for a molar put in place, plus having a filling replaced. The permanent cap will be hammered into place tomorrow. I hope I don't have to go back for a while. A long while. Remember that post where I mentioned that I would rather lick the floor of the men's room at the Dome than go to the dentist? I meant it.
Oh, for those of you at my work who read this: You will notice that my right thumb looks pretty gross these days. That's because, over the weekend, I was cutting some vegetables and instead sliced my thumb open. Hurt like a bastard. On Monday, the wound reopened and I bled a bunch more, again. Great fun indeed. At least it is now, finally, on the mend.
And that, folks, is that. It sure is nice to be back. Let's hope that we can have a very long, uninterrupted series of posts. I have missed you, even if you haven't missed me. The 4.7 of you who read this now will have something to occupy your time for 5 minutes a day to take your mind off your dreary existences.
Have a great day. I love you all, all 4.7 of you!
Bevboy
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Post 2165 - Another Hiatus
It is my sad duty to report that Bevboy's Blog must go on a hiatus for about a week.
Without going into much detail, Patricia's father died on Tuesday. We both have things to do over the next several days pursuant to his death, and that precludes writing these silly blog posts.
It is my hope to resume the blog on the 14th. We'll see how that works out.
See you soon, my lovelies. All 4.7 of you. Hugs and kisses.
Bevboy
Without going into much detail, Patricia's father died on Tuesday. We both have things to do over the next several days pursuant to his death, and that precludes writing these silly blog posts.
It is my hope to resume the blog on the 14th. We'll see how that works out.
See you soon, my lovelies. All 4.7 of you. Hugs and kisses.
Bevboy
Post 2164 – The Deal of the Art Parts 12-17
I have been negligent in putting up Mark Dooley’s last few editions of the Deal of the Art. I am very sorry about that.
As usual, I am in awe of Mark’s talent, and honoured (excuse me, honored) to be the official Canadian distributor of his work!
Here they are. I know you will enjoy them.
Special blog announcement later on this evening.
Bevboy
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Post 2163 - Yawn!
I was back to work today after a 4 day weekend. The calm and tranquility of being back to work was interrupted by another visit to the dentist. This one was with the hygienist. She worked my mouth over like an expert. 12 hours later, I am still feeling the love.
Since the day is over, I can now tell you that I made a dumb mistake this morning. Early this morning I transferred most of my important things from my summer coat to my Fall/Winter coat. But I neglected something pretty important: My wallet, which contained my license and insurance papers.
I got my driver's license a long, long time ago, before some of you folks were born. I am sure that I had never forgotten my driver's license before when I got behind the wheel. Sure, if I moved my car from one section of the driveway to another, I probably wouldn't bother to have my license on my person. But I had never, until today, actually left my property in my vehicle without my driver's license with me. I have no defense for this error. It was just my dumb mistake.
What mistake will I make tomorrow morning? Forget to put on underwear? Accidentally put on some of Patricia's clothes? Wear white two months after Labour Day?
I had a headache when I got home this evening. This meant I had to take a short nap after dinner. I lay down on the couch until Patricia reminded me twice that I was snoring and would I please go upstairs and lie down on the bed for a spell. I did, for about 45 minutes.
It is now after 11pm. I should turn in, but I am watching some of the US election results. It will be a very long evening!
You guys have a good evening. I will see you tomorrow.
Who loves you, baby? Bevboy does. Don't ever forget it.
Bevboy
Since the day is over, I can now tell you that I made a dumb mistake this morning. Early this morning I transferred most of my important things from my summer coat to my Fall/Winter coat. But I neglected something pretty important: My wallet, which contained my license and insurance papers.
I got my driver's license a long, long time ago, before some of you folks were born. I am sure that I had never forgotten my driver's license before when I got behind the wheel. Sure, if I moved my car from one section of the driveway to another, I probably wouldn't bother to have my license on my person. But I had never, until today, actually left my property in my vehicle without my driver's license with me. I have no defense for this error. It was just my dumb mistake.
What mistake will I make tomorrow morning? Forget to put on underwear? Accidentally put on some of Patricia's clothes? Wear white two months after Labour Day?
I had a headache when I got home this evening. This meant I had to take a short nap after dinner. I lay down on the couch until Patricia reminded me twice that I was snoring and would I please go upstairs and lie down on the bed for a spell. I did, for about 45 minutes.
It is now after 11pm. I should turn in, but I am watching some of the US election results. It will be a very long evening!
You guys have a good evening. I will see you tomorrow.
Who loves you, baby? Bevboy does. Don't ever forget it.
Bevboy
Monday, November 5, 2012
Post 2162 - Back To Reality
I write these words just before 10pm Monday night. I return to work, to reality, and to the dentist, on Tuesday.
The dentist visit this time will be with the hygienist. They're always female. Always. I have a theory about that. Women's fingers are smaller than men's, nearly all of the time. They can get in your mouth without your even knowing it. A man's fingers are huge by comparison. Impossible for him to get in your pie hole without your noticing it.
Mom was glad that I could stay with her for another day, but sad when I left today. I didn't want to leave either. While it's getting a little cold to hang out in the unheated garage on the property, I nonetheless did that this morning. I puttered around in there, listening to the radio that I keep in there (did you think I wouldn't have one out there? Well, did you?), and reflecting on the times I spent in there as a kid.
Over the course of the last several months, I have been cleaning off the work area in that garage. Dad had it run nearly the entire width of the garage, probably 12 feet. He installed a few things such as a vise grip and one of those electronic wetstone things you sharpen blades with. Those things are still there. The vise grip was seized up through many years of disuse, so I drenched it in wd-40. 10 minutes later, it was as good as new.
The work area is largely cleaned off. The crap I found on the area was thrown into 4 different large clear bags that went out last month as part of the Fall clean up in the Valley. Also got rid of an ancient light fixture that was replaced with a nice new one. You may dimly recall that I struggled with seeding florescent lights in that fixture last year. I thought I was the one messing up, when in fact the fixture only allowed one tube to work out of four, and then not reliably. The fixture over the work area has three lights out of four working just fine. The fourth one can be cajoled and encouraged and coaxed into working, but not consistently.
I feel much close to my father out in the garage than I do when I'm downstairs in the house in his workshop. I think it's because the workshop did not exist when I was living in the house; it was constructed some time after I moved out. I was just visiting once, and there it was. But it's the garage where I still feel his presence. Sue me.
The drive back to the city was uneventful. Newbie mewled a bit, but not as much as he has in the past. I think he wanted to stay down there a bit longer.
Patricia has a cold and took a sick day today. She has been coughing and gobbing since I got home, and still is this evening. You realize, of course, that I will fall victim to whatever she has. It is the circle of life.
Newbie is meowing sweet nothings in my ear. I cannot resist these entreaties any longer. I bid you adieu for this evening.
Bevboy
The dentist visit this time will be with the hygienist. They're always female. Always. I have a theory about that. Women's fingers are smaller than men's, nearly all of the time. They can get in your mouth without your even knowing it. A man's fingers are huge by comparison. Impossible for him to get in your pie hole without your noticing it.
Mom was glad that I could stay with her for another day, but sad when I left today. I didn't want to leave either. While it's getting a little cold to hang out in the unheated garage on the property, I nonetheless did that this morning. I puttered around in there, listening to the radio that I keep in there (did you think I wouldn't have one out there? Well, did you?), and reflecting on the times I spent in there as a kid.
Over the course of the last several months, I have been cleaning off the work area in that garage. Dad had it run nearly the entire width of the garage, probably 12 feet. He installed a few things such as a vise grip and one of those electronic wetstone things you sharpen blades with. Those things are still there. The vise grip was seized up through many years of disuse, so I drenched it in wd-40. 10 minutes later, it was as good as new.
The work area is largely cleaned off. The crap I found on the area was thrown into 4 different large clear bags that went out last month as part of the Fall clean up in the Valley. Also got rid of an ancient light fixture that was replaced with a nice new one. You may dimly recall that I struggled with seeding florescent lights in that fixture last year. I thought I was the one messing up, when in fact the fixture only allowed one tube to work out of four, and then not reliably. The fixture over the work area has three lights out of four working just fine. The fourth one can be cajoled and encouraged and coaxed into working, but not consistently.
I feel much close to my father out in the garage than I do when I'm downstairs in the house in his workshop. I think it's because the workshop did not exist when I was living in the house; it was constructed some time after I moved out. I was just visiting once, and there it was. But it's the garage where I still feel his presence. Sue me.
The drive back to the city was uneventful. Newbie mewled a bit, but not as much as he has in the past. I think he wanted to stay down there a bit longer.
Patricia has a cold and took a sick day today. She has been coughing and gobbing since I got home, and still is this evening. You realize, of course, that I will fall victim to whatever she has. It is the circle of life.
Newbie is meowing sweet nothings in my ear. I cannot resist these entreaties any longer. I bid you adieu for this evening.
Bevboy
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Post 2161 - An Extra Day
It is Sunday night. I just watched the 2 most recent episodes of The Walking Dead. This season is by far the best so far.
I'm still at my mother's. My neck and back acted up today, making it hard to drive. I haven't left the property all day. Fine by me.
I'm taking another vacation day on Monday. I should be able to return to the city in the afternoon. Newbie doesn't seem to mind. He likes it here. He sleeps here more than I do, and that's saying a lot.
Patricia was disappointed I was staying a day longer in the same way that an alcoholic is disappointed when a beer truck makes an accidental delivery to his house. You can take that any way you want. I think I heard her and Cindy do a high five when I broke the news.
Mom's happy I'm staying. She likes the company. She applied some ointment to my neck this afternoon. Felt good. It's still nice to be mothered by your mother.
Guess I'll turn in.
See you tomorrow.
From Bevboy's BlackBerry to Bevboy's Blog!
I'm still at my mother's. My neck and back acted up today, making it hard to drive. I haven't left the property all day. Fine by me.
I'm taking another vacation day on Monday. I should be able to return to the city in the afternoon. Newbie doesn't seem to mind. He likes it here. He sleeps here more than I do, and that's saying a lot.
Patricia was disappointed I was staying a day longer in the same way that an alcoholic is disappointed when a beer truck makes an accidental delivery to his house. You can take that any way you want. I think I heard her and Cindy do a high five when I broke the news.
Mom's happy I'm staying. She likes the company. She applied some ointment to my neck this afternoon. Felt good. It's still nice to be mothered by your mother.
Guess I'll turn in.
See you tomorrow.
From Bevboy's BlackBerry to Bevboy's Blog!
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Post 2160 - My Saturday
I know all 4.7 of you were worried about me today, what with taking my mother shopping this morning and into the afternoon. Fear not, effendi! I'm still here to talk about it. More importantly, I'm here to blog about it.
Mom got enough groceries today to feed Napoleon's army as it descended on Russia. Should last her a couple weeks. Finding fridge and freezer space was an adventure. It was like playing tetrus using victuals. The freezer is so full that an errant blueberry would find no shelter therein. The fridge is so full it is consulting with its union in a vain attempt to lodge an occupational health and safety complaint. You get the idea.
I lay down around 4pm to rest my body and to have my arms reinserted in their sockets. I flipped on the 10 dollar tv I keep in my old bedroom and landed on TLC. Back in the day, this was The Learning Channel. Now, every time I tune to that channel, my IQ drops precipitously.
Anyway.
I lay there, horrified, transfixed, focusing with laser intensity and precision on the grim tableau that unfolded before me. They were running a marathon of a show called "Extreme Cheapskates". It's about folks who are so mean, so stingy, so niggardly, that they gleefully agree to appear on television and brag about it. One guy takes his wife out to dinner and then takes other people's leftovers home to make additional meals for himself.
A woman urinates in a jar and tries to talk her boyfriend into doing the same. The pee is poured on weeds in her garden, killing them. She doesn't shower at home, preferring to do so at the gym she's a member of. When she perceives her boyfriend has been in the shower for too long, she goes to the main control for the water and turns it off. She also forages for greens in the woods and uses them to make salads.
A couple save money in any way they possibly can. No frugality is so insignificant such that it will not be considered. They don't purchase toilet paper. They cut out pieces of absorbent cloth and use those squares for that important purpose. When the bucket holding the shitty cloths gets full they just thoroughly wash the contents and start over. I hope they use bleach. They have a daughter. God knows what she uses when she has her menses.
A man and wife are so cheap that they managed to retire in their 40's and enjoy a life of frugal leisure. He rides his bicycle everywhere. He searches for loose change in the ground by phone booths and in the seats of restaurants, exulting if he finds 17 cents. Using what money he is able to locate in this manner, he purchases whatever food he can, up to and including things like goat's heads and salmon carcasses. He prepares these meals with great enthusiasm, seasoning and marinading them with whatever he can salvage in their kitchen that won't kill them.
I watched 2 hours of this program. I find myself wanting to watch more and feel embarrassed and nearly ashamed of myself for wanting to do so.
This evening I watched W5, which was all about the allegations of unspeakable abuse that may have transpired at the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children over the course of many decades. These are very serious and disturbing allegations. I hope that justice is served and soon.
I sit in the spare bedroom at my mother's. She sleeps in her favourite chair in the living room after having watched "2.5 Men". She loves that show. The ribald content seems not to bother her.
Newbie rests to me on top of the laser printer I paid 20 bucks for a couple of months ago. And I'm just about to watch an episode or 2 of season 1 of "American Horror Story", an overwrought, overhyped, overrated tv show that has become so tiresome for me to watch that it is a major chore to get through the final 3 episodes. It started off strongly, but has got worse with every episode. Ugh.
What are you doing this fine Saturday night? And, what are you wearing, anyway? I'm just wondering what all 4.7 of you like to wear when you read these silly little blog posts.
See you tomorrow.
From Bevboy's BlackBerry to Bevboy's Blog!
Mom got enough groceries today to feed Napoleon's army as it descended on Russia. Should last her a couple weeks. Finding fridge and freezer space was an adventure. It was like playing tetrus using victuals. The freezer is so full that an errant blueberry would find no shelter therein. The fridge is so full it is consulting with its union in a vain attempt to lodge an occupational health and safety complaint. You get the idea.
I lay down around 4pm to rest my body and to have my arms reinserted in their sockets. I flipped on the 10 dollar tv I keep in my old bedroom and landed on TLC. Back in the day, this was The Learning Channel. Now, every time I tune to that channel, my IQ drops precipitously.
Anyway.
I lay there, horrified, transfixed, focusing with laser intensity and precision on the grim tableau that unfolded before me. They were running a marathon of a show called "Extreme Cheapskates". It's about folks who are so mean, so stingy, so niggardly, that they gleefully agree to appear on television and brag about it. One guy takes his wife out to dinner and then takes other people's leftovers home to make additional meals for himself.
A woman urinates in a jar and tries to talk her boyfriend into doing the same. The pee is poured on weeds in her garden, killing them. She doesn't shower at home, preferring to do so at the gym she's a member of. When she perceives her boyfriend has been in the shower for too long, she goes to the main control for the water and turns it off. She also forages for greens in the woods and uses them to make salads.
A couple save money in any way they possibly can. No frugality is so insignificant such that it will not be considered. They don't purchase toilet paper. They cut out pieces of absorbent cloth and use those squares for that important purpose. When the bucket holding the shitty cloths gets full they just thoroughly wash the contents and start over. I hope they use bleach. They have a daughter. God knows what she uses when she has her menses.
A man and wife are so cheap that they managed to retire in their 40's and enjoy a life of frugal leisure. He rides his bicycle everywhere. He searches for loose change in the ground by phone booths and in the seats of restaurants, exulting if he finds 17 cents. Using what money he is able to locate in this manner, he purchases whatever food he can, up to and including things like goat's heads and salmon carcasses. He prepares these meals with great enthusiasm, seasoning and marinading them with whatever he can salvage in their kitchen that won't kill them.
I watched 2 hours of this program. I find myself wanting to watch more and feel embarrassed and nearly ashamed of myself for wanting to do so.
This evening I watched W5, which was all about the allegations of unspeakable abuse that may have transpired at the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children over the course of many decades. These are very serious and disturbing allegations. I hope that justice is served and soon.
I sit in the spare bedroom at my mother's. She sleeps in her favourite chair in the living room after having watched "2.5 Men". She loves that show. The ribald content seems not to bother her.
Newbie rests to me on top of the laser printer I paid 20 bucks for a couple of months ago. And I'm just about to watch an episode or 2 of season 1 of "American Horror Story", an overwrought, overhyped, overrated tv show that has become so tiresome for me to watch that it is a major chore to get through the final 3 episodes. It started off strongly, but has got worse with every episode. Ugh.
What are you doing this fine Saturday night? And, what are you wearing, anyway? I'm just wondering what all 4.7 of you like to wear when you read these silly little blog posts.
See you tomorrow.
From Bevboy's BlackBerry to Bevboy's Blog!
Friday, November 2, 2012
Post 2159 - A Valley Weekend
These humble, pathetic, sub-par words are being written at my mother's place. I've had a busy day.
Got up around 8. By 9 I was on the road. There'd been an accident on the highway, so I ended up going on a detour. I got to Mom's shortly after 10. By 11 we were on the road to her doctor's appointment.
After lunch at a pretty awesome restaurant in Coldbrook, I renewed my vehicle permit at the nearby Access Nova Scotia. I have no idea why it costs 200 dollars to renew for 2 years. What does this cost cover? No idea. I just pay it and drive away.
After more shopping in New Minas we returned here. Of course, after shopping with her, I was exhausted and had to sleep for a spell.
My jaw is much better today. I still have some pain when I swallow, but that's better, too. Thank you for your concern, cards, and letters.
(To the lady who mailed me her underwar: They don't fit. What were you thinking? Jeepers.)
I got some bad news today: A dear old friend died a few days ago. His name was Bruce Newcombe and I'd known him since were kids.
Years after high school, in 1987, the summer I was working and living in Sydney, Bruce was in a car accident. His car ended up in a body of water with him in it. Hours later, he was found. Against all odds he lived.
He was never quite the same after that. There were physical afflictions and intellectual challenges that made life difficult for him. I'd see him around and we'd write by email from time to time. He was on Facebook as well.
What happened to Bruce 25 years ago, should never happen to anybody. But he improved as much as he could and fashioned a simple, and religious, life for himself. He always seemed cheerful and carefree, and I envied him for those traits because I craved them for myself.
I will miss Bruce. I wish his loved ones well during this period of bereavement. If you believe in that sort of thing, he's up there cheering up the angels and reminding them of their Bible verses.
His funeral is 2pm Saturday at the Aldershot Baptist church. I really should go.
See you tomorrow, folks.
From Bevboy's BlackBerry to Bevboy's Blog!
Got up around 8. By 9 I was on the road. There'd been an accident on the highway, so I ended up going on a detour. I got to Mom's shortly after 10. By 11 we were on the road to her doctor's appointment.
After lunch at a pretty awesome restaurant in Coldbrook, I renewed my vehicle permit at the nearby Access Nova Scotia. I have no idea why it costs 200 dollars to renew for 2 years. What does this cost cover? No idea. I just pay it and drive away.
After more shopping in New Minas we returned here. Of course, after shopping with her, I was exhausted and had to sleep for a spell.
My jaw is much better today. I still have some pain when I swallow, but that's better, too. Thank you for your concern, cards, and letters.
(To the lady who mailed me her underwar: They don't fit. What were you thinking? Jeepers.)
I got some bad news today: A dear old friend died a few days ago. His name was Bruce Newcombe and I'd known him since were kids.
Years after high school, in 1987, the summer I was working and living in Sydney, Bruce was in a car accident. His car ended up in a body of water with him in it. Hours later, he was found. Against all odds he lived.
He was never quite the same after that. There were physical afflictions and intellectual challenges that made life difficult for him. I'd see him around and we'd write by email from time to time. He was on Facebook as well.
What happened to Bruce 25 years ago, should never happen to anybody. But he improved as much as he could and fashioned a simple, and religious, life for himself. He always seemed cheerful and carefree, and I envied him for those traits because I craved them for myself.
I will miss Bruce. I wish his loved ones well during this period of bereavement. If you believe in that sort of thing, he's up there cheering up the angels and reminding them of their Bible verses.
His funeral is 2pm Saturday at the Aldershot Baptist church. I really should go.
See you tomorrow, folks.
From Bevboy's BlackBerry to Bevboy's Blog!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Post 2158 - ORN
Hey, folks. How are you doing today?
I'm feeling better except for the discomfort associated with swallowing. I also did a number on my tongue, having chewed on it in the dentist's chair 2 days ago. In case you were wondering, it tastes a bit like chicken.
When I was off yesterday I got the heads up about Operation Rednose, a day before the official news release. Operation Rednose will not happen in 2012.
Here's why.
In years past, the Insurance Bureau of Canada provided blanket insurance to ORN volunteers. We needed it because while we were insured to drive our own vehicles, we weren't insured to drive our clients' cars. The liability for ORN in the absence of proper insurance would be frightening to consider.
As well, the price of gas has gone up, as you well know. Once again, for years we were given prepaid gas cards. That resource has dried up.
A requirement for working for ORN was a yearly criminal background check. The police absorbed these costs every year. One can't expect them to do that ad infinitum.
ORN has been essentially a free service supported by hundreds of volunteers plus the things mentioned in the previous paragraphs and a few other things such as refreshments for the volunteers and a damn place where we could have our headquarters and dispatch centre. Unless those tumblers all line up, we can't go forward.
It's a damn shame, but we had 7 good years. I'm proud of what we've done and happy to have been a small part of it.
Corinne is hopeful that ORN can rebound next year. So am I. We have to be. It's too important. We need it.
Off on Friday. Visiting my mommy. Newbie and I will drive up in the morning. Looking forward to a couple days outside of the city.
See you tomorrow.
From Bevboy's BlackBerry to Bevboy's Blog!
I'm feeling better except for the discomfort associated with swallowing. I also did a number on my tongue, having chewed on it in the dentist's chair 2 days ago. In case you were wondering, it tastes a bit like chicken.
When I was off yesterday I got the heads up about Operation Rednose, a day before the official news release. Operation Rednose will not happen in 2012.
Here's why.
In years past, the Insurance Bureau of Canada provided blanket insurance to ORN volunteers. We needed it because while we were insured to drive our own vehicles, we weren't insured to drive our clients' cars. The liability for ORN in the absence of proper insurance would be frightening to consider.
As well, the price of gas has gone up, as you well know. Once again, for years we were given prepaid gas cards. That resource has dried up.
A requirement for working for ORN was a yearly criminal background check. The police absorbed these costs every year. One can't expect them to do that ad infinitum.
ORN has been essentially a free service supported by hundreds of volunteers plus the things mentioned in the previous paragraphs and a few other things such as refreshments for the volunteers and a damn place where we could have our headquarters and dispatch centre. Unless those tumblers all line up, we can't go forward.
It's a damn shame, but we had 7 good years. I'm proud of what we've done and happy to have been a small part of it.
Corinne is hopeful that ORN can rebound next year. So am I. We have to be. It's too important. We need it.
Off on Friday. Visiting my mommy. Newbie and I will drive up in the morning. Looking forward to a couple days outside of the city.
See you tomorrow.
From Bevboy's BlackBerry to Bevboy's Blog!
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